Canada's best new restaurants

Armed with only writing implements, a carry-on bag and a very hearty appetite, Chris Johns embarked on enRoute's fourth annual survey of Canada's Best New Restaurants. Here are his results:

1. Garçon! (Montreal)
Chef Jérôme Lefils'idiosyncratic menu pairs lamb's lettuce with porcini (dressed with truffle vinaigrette) and a beef bone leaking rich marrow. Mushrooms and chestnuts are sautéed in lard and served with luscious Quebec lamb loin. This is pure sensory delight for adventurous diners who are comfortable with a high level of pampering in a refined setting.

5. George (Toronto)Chef Lorenzo Loseto's small plates are not quite appetizers and not quite entrees. Instead, three small courses are recommended, followed by dessert. This approach means ribbons of pink beef tenderloin served as a composed salad with caramelized salsify and truffled quinoa; smoked sablefish with basil tempura and saffron-pickled vegetables; veal paired with a pecan potato pavé and chèvre mushroom gratin; and a chocolate frangipane tart enhanced by ginger ice cream.

111C Queen St. E., Toronto, 416-863-6006

6. Chambar Belgian Restaurant (Vancouver)
A formerly forlorn spot on the edge of Gastown is now one of the hottest destinations in town, thanks to an inspired blending of Belgian and Moroccan cuisine. You might begin with a trendy octopus carpaccio, move on to traditional Moroccan lamb tajine (think honey, figs and cinnamon) and end with Belgian waffles.

562 Beatty St., Vancouver, 604-879-7119

7. Ô Chalet (Montreal)
With its cowhide bar stools and maple-syrup-bucket light fixtures, this place is intentionally kitschy but not gimmicky. Imagine the best TV dinner you've ever tasted but with breaded, fried pork terrine and lobster in place of the Salisbury steak. The cordial staff and sophisticated cooking combine to create a feeling of soothing warmth and good clean fun.

1393 Boulevard René-Lévesque E., Montreal, 514-527-7070

8. Fleur de Sel (Lunenberg, N.S.)
Open May through December, this beautifully restored house-turned-restaurant offers locally sourced ingredients, carefully prepared with French techniques and Spanish influences. A hearty but delicate terrine layers ham hock with portobello mushrooms, all wrapped in Savoy cabbage. Baby squid are stuffed to bursting with saffron risotto and served with an expressionist slash of squid ink sauce. Book one of the cozy rooms upstairs and make a weekend of it.

53 Montague St., Lunenburg, N.S., 902-640-2121

9. Panache (Quebec)
Chef François Blais gives full expression to the best possible local ingredients. Pristine Arctic char is served as tartare. Goulu farms duck is spit-roasted and glazed with maple syrup. And the ice cream beignet, served on sabayon with caramelized apples… let's just say that 200 years from now, people will still be raving about it.

10. Thuet Cuisine (Toronto)
He may be the enfant terrible of Canadian cuisine, but this time it's Marc Thuet's Alsatian-inspired food that's making headlines. Flavours are bold and aggressively confident: Lobster poached in muscat butter and dressed with sea urchin is rich in the extreme; an ethereal cauliflower mousse accompanies the veal.